An Arrangement of Hearts
by Ronnie.Dae
Summary: A series of drabbles and one-shots mostly surrounding the arranged marriage between Gaara and Sakura. Post-War, slightly AU, other pairings occasionally mentioned. Sometimes OOC - updates several times a week, everyday if I can!
1. Mixed Emotions

**Mixed Emotions**

The first time she kisses him, it is the day of their wedding, and he feels... _stupid_. Then angry, frustrated and finally; numb.

He's not sure why, exactly, and spends the next three weeks thinking about her soft lips and warm breath.

* * *

She can't find an emotion to describe what she felt, it was all way too overwhelming. She was plucked from her home and her friends and her life; plunged into an arranged marriage with practically a stranger in the middle of the desert.

After the fourth sleepless night, she settles on one - _cheated_.


	2. Second I

**Second I**

The second time he speaks to her outside of a work environment, he asks her if she's enjoying her book. It takes a moment to pull herself from the imaginary world; before she can reply, he mumbles a quick apology for distracting her and quickly leaves.

* * *

The next morning, the book is on his desk with a handwritten note saying that she hopes he enjoys it - she signs the note with a heart.


	3. As I Can Be

Hello! Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews; this is something I've had on my mind for a while and it's nice to finally develop it! Just a quick warning; some characters may seem OOC, but I've developed a very specific post-war world! Anyway, no chapter yesterday - so here's an extra long one!  
 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **As I Can Be**

She's collecting medicinal herbs in one of the most beautiful gardens she has ever seen. She is wondering where her Husband found the idea to give this place to her as a wedding gift; when her former teammates stroll through the clearing. She could no longer avoid the sinking feeling in the bottom of her chest; even from 60 feet away, she knows that they know now. She wonders if they'll hate her for keeping it from them; sneaking off to get married while they were trapped in some cabin in the Snow.

"Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed, beaming as he ran over to her. He almost breaks one of her ribs as he hugs her. She realises it is the most physical contact she has had with someone since moving to Suna, so she allows him to do it until Sasuke speaks;

"Oi. You're hurting her."

Naruto immediately drops his arms, bringing one hand to sheepishly run through his hair as he quickly apologises. In that time, Sasuke is quick to plant a chaste kiss on her cheek as a greeting. They come bearing gifts; mostly things from home and more importantly, she realises, food.

She uses a spare pashmina she brought as a make shift blanket; and lays in down over the dry, sand-covered grass. She wonders if she'll ever grow used to this place - one of few places in Suna that has grass, and still, it's not the same as home.

They sit and eat and talk. Well, she eats as much as she can muster, her earlier appetite subsiding the more she hears about Konoha. Sasuke sits, occasionally nudging her to eat more. And Naruto talks... and talks, and talks. She knows why he's babbling; and she's grateful for it. It's easier to listen to him than think about the conversation they should be having.

Then finally, he asks the question that's been hanging over the three of them with more intensity than the desert sun; "So... How come you didn't tell us?"

Her breath is caught in her throat, and she suddenly feels winded. For a moment, it feels like maybe the rest of the world is too. The soft and welcome breeze had suddenly dissipated - stopping the gentle rocking of the plants around them. The nearby waterfall forgot to flow for a moment. The parakeets must have mistaken the day for night. Then, as quickly as time stopped, it starts again. _She is breathing._

She turns away from her friends, _her boys_. "I'm not sure... " she trails off, "I think it was just easier not to." She looks toward them again, and realises that this is going to be a far bigger conversation than she imagined.

So there they sit. For hours in the desert heat, picking at treats that remind her of _home_. Talking and going over and over her life over the last two months. Naruto eventually falls asleep with his head in her lap, and her hands running through his hair. She is left with Sasuke in a stunned silence. He has changed so much over the last few years; they are twenty-years old now and she wonders if this is the person they spent sixteen years missing out on. Above anything, he is kinder now, more loving. She likes that.

He lifts a hand to stroke her cheek, and she sees worry in his eyes. "Are you happy?" he asks.

"As I can be." She replies.

He drops his hand.


	4. Friends, Part One

Hey! Thank you all again for the wonderful reviews! Keep them up, they seem to generate longer chapters than I had planned to write ;)  
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one - part two will be up tonight providing I finish it before bed! This chapter aims to give you a little more of an insight in to the post-war world I've created in my head.  
 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Friends, Part One**

Hinata, though she never would have thought it, was happy to be back in Suna. She has missed the markets above all; and was thrilled to see them return to full life in the months following the war. It has been a little over two months since she's been here. The end of the war for her came with the death of her brother's wife, and her adopting their infant son. Then one of her best friends had been swept in to an arranged marriage; it was a quite and hushed affair. Meant for affirming the peace treaty between Suna and Konoha.

She stops in the street and sighs deeply. There's been a lot of arranged marriages lately; it almost felt as if the world had turned back in time. She wonders how many of her friends will marry for love. She knows that she won't. But walking towards her was someone that already had.

"Hello Kiba," She smiles as she embraces him. "Where's Kankuro?"

Her friends breaks in to a toothy grin, "He's putting the baby down to sleep, it's too hot for her in the middle of the day."

She smiles, she is happy for them. They went to war and found love. She went to war and well... lost a lot of it. She shakes the thoughts from her mind, she had done well not to dwell on the past and was determined to continue this.

"Have you finally settled on a name?" She asks as she watches his smile falter and his shoulders sink.

"Hana." He replies. She is suddenly flooded with cruel memories; of the last big battle. The one that left her nephew an orphan. It left Kiba an orphan too, and an only child...

"I think it's perfect name," Hinata says. "Your sister would be so happy."

She watches the pain flutter across his face, before he smiles again. "Yeah, Mama would be pretty pissed though!" Before she can reply, an Anbu appears before them and sweeps in to a low bow.

"Hyuuga-San, the Kazekage will see you now."


	5. Friends, Part Two

So I'm going to regret staying up late when I get up for work in the morning... But I couldn't help myself! I'm also giving you the next chapter as it ties in to these two pretty well and it's not very long! Anyways, please review!  
 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Friends, Part Two**

She waits inside his office patiently, placing a small parcel on his desk, she notes how much it has changed since the last time she was here. She smiles, as the changes seem to be mostly for the better. She spots a small pile of books on the corner of the desk; each with a hand-written note. She recognises Sakura's handwriting, and how each note is signed with a heart. The windowsill is littered with plants; she seems some as medicinal, other as decoration.

She turns as the door opens behind her, and her red-headed friend smiles when he sees her. It feels as if her worries have blown away with the desert sand. She can't help herself; and hugs him even though she knows he hates hit. He tenses for a moment, then returns the gesture and she takes this as a sign to pull away.

"Welcome back, Hinata" he says, and she suddenly feels a grin on her face. She had gotten close to Gaara when she was stationed at the camp west of Suba during the war. They found it very easy to get along, and enjoyed the simple serenity of each other's company as they poured over paperwork. They got to know each other very well; though it was all completely platonic

They sit on the small sofa and she doesn't miss a beat before she attacks him with questions about Sakura. He doesn't say much, and it bothers her. She loves them both, and wants them to be happy. She wonders whether he is just... shy. So she enquires about the plants;

"Ah... " He ponders. "Sakura brings them in here, something about the room being a good climate for them?"

Hinata smiles, Sakura often left different types of plants and flowers in their friends' home; rambling on about humidity and sunlight. Hinata's own bedroom was filled with succulents bursting with colour's she didn't know they could even have. She pushes her friend for more information.

"And the books?" She asks.

"Oh..." She swears she sees him blush a little. "She likes to read and... leaves me books she thinks I'll like."

"And do you?"

A smile tugs at the corner of of his lips, "Yes... she has good taste. They're a good distraction from being Kazekage."

She smiles at him again; at least they have something in common. She remembers the parcel she brought. "Hey!" She jumps from her seat to fetch it. "I have something for you!" She unwraps the brown paper packaging, and from the corner of her eye she sees his face light up.

"Cookies." This was their respite during the war. She would often do small favours or make trades to find the ingredients around camp. One time, _her favourite pair of panties_ were lost in a transaction for some chocolate chips. Though it was worth it to see his face.

She picks one to hand to him; then changes her mind and promptly stuffs it in his mouth. The interaction shocks him; and he bursts with laughter.

They spend the next hour or two chatting and eating cookies, and she doesn't forget to continue to tentatively brooch the subject that is his wife.


	6. Second II

**Second II**

The second time Sakura hears him laugh, she is about to walk in to his office. She is carrying a small pot of fennel; it had been a murder to grow in this heat. But she'd finally gotten it to take and it'll thrive in his office. She knows that he gets terrible headaches and this would help.

She is in the hall when she looks through his open door to see Hinata stuffing a cookie in his mouth. He laughs and it is sweet and happy and wholehearted. She can't help but watch them for a moment. They continue to talk and laugh and she feeds him cookies.

It feels like someone is gripping her throat.

She takes her fennel and leaves. She struggles to look at Hinata until her friends leave two weeks later. She is not sure why.


	7. Guilt

**Guilt**

After spending the afternoon with Hinata, Gaara walks in to his house far later than usual; the full moon is shining brightly tonight. There is a picnic basket on the kitchen counter, he places the package of left-over cookies next to it.

He is surprised to find Sakura awake. She has a book in her hands, but she is not reading it. Instead, the village lights flicker in her eyes. He notices that she has caught the sun; petite shoulders are suddenly freckled and tinted pink. He hovers in the hall, fascinated with her sitting in the windowsill. It's almost as if she has been painted there; she is still and looks worried by something.

He wonders what it is; he has gone to lengths to make she she has everything she needs. She has her own clinic in the village; which he knew she loves. Hinata had told him how she had grown sick of healing - and more often, failing to heal - wounded nin from the war. He could understand why. The war had taken it's toll on medics more than anyone else.

He had also made sure that she had the run of the Kazekage Garden, for he remembered visiting Naruto and Ino's house once, the find the place covered in various plants all gifted from Sakura.

He gave no restraints on her freedom; and allowed her to come and go as she pleased. Though, she had never strayed outside the village gates.

He can still see her unhappiness etched in her face. Suddenly, he is overwhelmed with the feeling of wanting to comfort her - so he tries to. He walks across the hall and crouches beside her. She turns to him, eyes glistening with sadness and confusion. He has no idea what to say and it takes him a lifetime to find even a single word.

He finally settles on a heartfelt _"Sorry."_

She placed her head on the window and cries; the sight is enough to kill him. He touches her cheek gently and she turns picturesque again - still and painted. He whips around and leaves their home, weighed with guilt, and spends the night wrecking dunes in the desert.


	8. Fennel

I think we're overdue a little of actual interaction!

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Fennel**

It has been four months today since they were married. Her little clinic has been quiet today, and she had hardly slept lately, so she decided to leave her two other medics in charge of wrapping things up for the weekend.

She has decided to go and visit the Garden - she had spent little time there over the last month. Every since her friends had returned to Konoha, she felt an overwhelming urge of loneliness there.

* * *

When she arrives, she finds her husband in her greenhouse. He is holding a dried-out pot plant. She is _furious._

"What happened?!"

He looks shocked to see her, and stands in some kind of stupor holding her poor fennel. He is never a man of many words, so she is not quite sure why she expects an immediate answer. She pushes for one.

"Well?!"

"I forgot to water it." He states, plainly and calmly.

She is nothing less than gobsmacked. It took her another week to brave going to his office after the bitter realisation that her marriage would never hold any love. He was there, alone, and she gave specific instructions on how to care for the plant. He had outright ignored them. She flies in to an outraged rant -

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to grow that bloody herb in this bloody desert? Fennel likes mild climates. Wet climates! It _thrives_ in my garden in Konoha! I practically have a forest of the stuff. It needs rich, moist soil! There is nothing but sand and dry, heated crap here! I brought that poor plant with me and it started to die as soon as we left the forest! It _knew_ that we were leaving its home. I had to baby that plant back to life! And you! - " She shoves a pointed finger in to his chest. " - You! Have! Killed! It!"

They stand there in a paused silence. Her finger still pressed to his chest. She is standing on her tip-toes, for he is much taller than her. She is seething, and it makes him... _laugh._

He bursts in to the same laughter she recognises from Hinata's visit. He cups her face in his hand as he tries to make himself stop. She falls on the balls of her feet and her face softens from anger to shock. He manages to compose himself for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't - " He chokes on his suppressed laughter. " - I didn't mean to kill your fennel. I can get some sent from Konoha for you?" He is looking down to her, her face still in his hands. He is smiling. A big, cheeky grin that she does not expect to see on his face.

Her finger changes to a hand; gripping his shirt. The smile falls off his mouth, but not his eyes. He is suddenly far closer to her, and his thumb is trailing along the edge of her lips. Both her hands are clutching him now, and his finds herself pulling him closer.

"Haruno-San!" One of her medics bursts in to the greenhouse. "There's an emergency at the clinic!"

She whips around, with now only thoughts of helping her patient in her mind, and rushes to follow her medic back to the clinic.

* * *

He is left standing dumbfounded. The pot of fennel lies broken on the floor.


	9. Winter

**Winter**

Tonight marks the first time Sakura discovers that Suna gets cold during the winter. Only during the night though; the day still begs to bake the dry sand.

She is walking home late from the hospital; a patient had a heart attack in the clinic and she had spent the last six hours in surgery trying to save his life. She had not succeeded.

So she is walking home, crestfallen, at almost midnight. A breeze sweeps through sending a deep chill down her back. It is freezing. She pulls her at her thin scrubs, wishing she'd taken the other of a coat from the nurse at the hospital reception. She had thought it a funny offer at the time, but now she understands why.

She is not used to such simple silence. The desert is usually so alive with the sounds of wildlife, no matter the time of day. Tonight, all is still. There is even a touch of frost creeping it's way in makeshift patterns along the edges of anything made of glass or metal.

She stops at the gate to the Kazekage Garden, it is the first time she has been able to replay the events before she was rushed in to an emergency surgery. The touch of his thumb still lingers on her bottom lip.

She bites down on it; a pathetic attempt to erase the feeling. Of course, it fails. She wanders home in a dull stupor; the cold suddenly forgotten.


	10. Cigarettes

Hello, readers! Yes, I see you! I want to keep this at a T rating, so M chapters will now be posted in a companion story _Hearts After Dark_ \- the first chapter is now up on my page! It's a follow on from this one, so if you like, go check it out!

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Cigarettes**

She doesn't even realise she is home until she bumps in to her husband on the front doorstep. He is _smoking._

He grabs her before she falls, raising an eyebrow with his cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. They stay like that for a moment, both shocked at the sudden contact. A thousand thoughts are rushing through her mind. She can only focus on one; _a cigarette._

 _I haven't smoked since the war_ , she thinks. Watching the soft white whips curl upward and dissipate in to the chill air. She takes it from his mouth; ice cold fingers brush against his cheek. He pulls her against him with a sudden whirlwind of force, causing his cloak to partially wrap itself around her.

"You're freezing! How long have you been out in this weather?" He looks down at her, she spots a look in his eyes that she doesn't quite expect... _worry._

She tuts and rolls her eyes, placing her head against his chest as if she is familiar with him as she is with Naruto or Sasuke. She looks at the burning stick in her hand, pondering the glow of the embers, and takes a puff.

He emits a small _humph_ and rolls his eyes too, reaching in to his pocket for another cigarette and his stand on the doorstop of their marital home for a small while; smoking and holding each other as if they're marriage was more than politics and signed papers. As if they were lovers.

Neither knows that the other finds themselves with the same fleeting thought; _what if we were._


	11. Matsuri

Okay! Firstly, I'm so sorry for the major gap in updates - my life has suddenly gotten very busy and I've been struggling to find the time! I'm back in work now though, which means there should be more updates as most of these are written in my lunch hour!

Secondly, I know there's a few errors lurking about, I haven't had any internet so have been updating via phone - this should be resolved as soon as my connection is back up and running and I can use my laptop again!

Thirdly, I hate this chapter. So much. It just wouldn't come out the way I want it to. I'm going to revisit it soon - however, it's also stopping further chapters from coming out! Anyway -

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Matsuri**

Matsuri stops just short of Suna's gates, taking a moment to take in the welcoming sight of the sandstone towers; she has been away for nearly six months and she is glad to be home. She raises a hand in greeting to the guards, and they nod back. The gate keeper smiles kindly at her, offering a kind "Welcome Home!"

She picks up her pace a little; excited to get home and see her Sempai. The last time she had seen him, he was rambling on about being forced in to some arranged marriage, and she can't wait to hear how he got out of it.

* * *

The first thing she notices are the pair of women's boots, lazily kicked off in the hallway. They do not belong to her. As she walks in to the kitchen there is a medic cloak draped over the counter. She is instantly panicked.

"Sempai!" She calls out, taking the stairs two steps at a time.

Standing in the hallway is that medic from Konoha; she instantly recognises her from the war. She become renown for both her healing and fighting skills, making her way in to several bingo books. It's not like she was an easy person forget; the pink hair messily tied in a bun only confirmed this.

She gives Matsuri a soft smile; "Welcome home, Matsuri-chan! How did your mission go?"

She is suddenly at a loss for words, her earlier panic subsiding to a deep worry. He must be really bad for Sakura to have come all the way from Konoha. She can feel tears brimming at her eyes.

"What's the matter? Did it not go well?" Sakura moves to embrace the crying girl, pulling her down to sit on the hall window seat. She gently rubs her back, a grown etching it's way on to her face as footsteps are heard making their way up the stairs.

He instantly crouches in front of her, shooting a look to Sakura to see if she knows why Matsuri is crying. Sakura shrugs her shoulders and raises the hand not rubbing her back; no idea, she seems to signal.

"Matsuri." He raises a hand to wipe away the her tears, and suddenly finds himself tackled almost to the floor.

"You're okay? I thought something must be really wrong!" Matsuri manages to blurt out between sobs.

Gaara sighs deeply, embraces the girl and gives Sakura a look that she can't quite figure out. She takes it as a signal to leave them, and mouths that she'll be at the garden.

Matsuri has calmed somewhat, and leans back from her Sempai. She is no longer crying, apart from soft, evenly spaced hiccoughs.

He manages a small smile, he had been dreading this moment ever since his marriage to Sakura had been finalised. He wondered briefly if the reason he had sent her on such a long mission was to avoid this.

Matsuri is looking at him expectantly; "So, you're okay? Why is she here?"

He sighs again, "She's my wife."


	12. Ally

Hey! This chapter came a lot easier than the last! Also, wanted to let you know that I've released the first chapter for _Hearts After Dark._ It's the M rated companion story for this. Any M rated chapters will have a partner chapter here. _Smokerings,_ the partner chapter for _Cigarettes,_ is up now. Please read and review!

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Ally**

There's someone in her garden when she arrives. She intended to come straight here but found herself distracted at the clinic on the way. Now, Matsuri is tracing her fingers around the still pond water, causing ripples to span out across the surface.

Sakura is not sure whether or not to say anything, and wonders how much time the girl spent in the garden before it was given to her as a wedding present. Before she can decide to leave, Matsuri looks up at her. She gives a soft smile, and Sakura takes it as an invitation to join the girl.

"I'm sorry." Sakura says, and finds herself not quite sure why she is apologising.

"What for? It's not like it's your fault..." Matsuri trails off, distracted by a disgruntled from croaking at her from a lily pad. "I doubt you had much choice in the matter either, I just wanted..." She takes a deep breath. "He's like a father to me, you know?"

Sakura nods her head in understanding, she had lost her parents at a young age, and knew the feeling of loving someone like a father. Matsuri continues, removing her hand from the water, much to the frog's delight. "I just wanted him to fall in love and get married and be happy and all that gross stuff, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. Maybe he would have... but a war happened." Sakura manages a smile at the brunette girl.

Matsuri's voice becomes caught in her throat. She hadn't thought about Sakura's side of things. She became infamous during the war, rivaling the reputation of medics before her. And she could fight, too. Holding her own against her teammates Naruto and Sasuke. Matsuri had spent countless nights around campfires hearing tales of their battles.

Now, she was here. In a foreign land filled with people she doesn't know. Married to a man that she doesn't love. Matsuri couldn't think of anything worse. So she does something that neither of them expect.

She leans forward and wraps her arms around Sakura, bringing her in for a friendly embrace. "I'd like to be friends."

Sakura is momentarily surprised, before she softens and returns the hug. "Me too." She smiles, honestly, feeling like she's finally made an ally in the desert.


	13. Oranges

Hello! This is a little gift for user _Hyuuga Tenten n.n,_ who requested Gaara not being able to cope with Sakura and her orange. Hope you enjoy! I'll more than happily work in any requests for scenes!

Update: This chapter now has a partner chapter in the M rated companion fic _Hearts After Dark.  
_ It's called _Apples._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Oranges**

She sat in his office; on his desk. Swinging her legs back and forth. He is momentarily distracted by them. She is in civilian clothes; he's used to seeing her in scrubs and a lab coat. Now here she is, in a skirt that he finds himself unhappy that other people have seen her in, and an oversized shirt that he's not sure belongs to her.

He walks around his desk, her eyes follow him and she is smiling while eating an orange. She continues to swing her legs. She stops for a moment, though, when he pulls on the cuff of her shirt and raises an eyebrow in questioning. He is not quite sure what he feels about it, he just knows that he doesn't like that she's wearing it.

They've almost mastered the art of conversing without speaking; they've tended to keeps themselves busy since their marriage and have settled in to a steady routine of avoid-then-maybe-oh-no-keep-avoiding.

"It's Sasuke's." She says as if it's not the most offence thing to ever come out of her mouth. "I also pinch his old shirts, they're comfy."

She starts swinging her legs again, humming as she continues to to peel segments of her orange. He goes to sit down, noticing an orange and black jacket draped over his chair. He turns to her, and she has a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

"That's Naruto's old jacket, I tend to pinch them too." She swivels on his desk to sit facing him, continuing to eat her orange so slowly and teasingly that he's not sure whether he wants to tell her to hurry up or slow down.

He sits down, frustrated at her wearing her teammates clothes and even more annoyed that she is blatantly teasing him with it... and that _fucking orange._

He's trying to focus on his paperwork, and instead, his wife is in his office wearing a skirt so short that he can almost see- He shakes his head. What's wrong with me today? He thinks, turning his attention to her nibbling on a segment, sucking out the juices with those puckered, rosebud lips-

 _FUCK. Why is she in here, anyway?-_

"Want to go for lunch?" Her voice snatches him from his thoughts. He pulls himself closer in to his desk, resting his hand over his face to cover the pink creeping to his cheeks. And, of course, the part of his anatomy that's trying to make a bulging appearance...

"Well?" She asks again, voice like songbirds and those legs still swinging-

"Uh, yeah. Sure." He manages.

She furrows her brows and grows still, looking down to her lap. "Well, if you don't want to that's fine. I'm just off today and have nothing to do."

 _Oh shit._ He thinks, he's upset her. "No, let's go. Want to try that new ramen place?"

She lights back up, the smile returning to her cheeks. She jumps up from her desk and grabs his hand and suddenly he is being dragged out of his office with her rambling on about hoping they do that miso-stuff like they do in Konoha.

The rest of her orange is left discarded on his desk.


	14. Second III

Thank you all so much for your love and support! It honestly fuels me!

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Second III**

The second time she kisses him, he immediately notices how different it is from the first time; this time, she _wants_ to.

It is chaste and sweet - he almost misses it. They're just round the corner from that new ramen place, when she pauses in the alley and places her lips on his, before grabbing his hand and rambling on about miso again.

He spends their impromptu luncheon hardly eating; all he can taste is oranges.


	15. Amends

Hello! By now most of you M readers will have seen _Apples,_ the latest chapter in _Hearts After Dark._ *SPOILER* For you T only readers, things got a little heated in Gaara's study, though they were interrupted before anything went _that_ far! Sakura ended up being a little shaken by it, but she's okay really :3

Anyway! I've spent some time going back and editing mistakes in any of the chapter; though nothing major has changed and I'm still working on the editing. For the time being -

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Amends**

They've hardly spoken since their encounter in the study; she won't even make eye contact with him and quickly excuses herself from being in his presence.

It's one of the coldest days they've had all cold-season in Suna. Gaara finds himself distracted. He stares out on to the overcast day, the village nothing but a blur in his vision.

He sighs, he's hardly been able to concentrate since the night with the apples - he finds himself lost in thoughts of her whenever he sees the fruit. Her tongue, her breasts - the way she moaned his name in his ear.

But he supposes that doesn't matter much, anyway. Any progress he'd been making with Sakura were well and truly down the drain. It's not like he expected - nor even wanted - a romantic, or even sexual, relationship with her. But he'd been inspired by Hinata's visit to at least try to reach out to her; to formulate some kind of friendship. They were, after all, bound together for life. The least he could do was get along with her.

He leans back in his chair, and sighs again, biting the inside of his lip. He wonders what he should do to make amends with her - or maybe he should leave it all together?

He supposes it would be easier for her to hate him. At least then she could have some kind of life besides him. He shakes his head, banishing the thoughts. There must be a way to-

"Ah!" An idea comes to him and he quickly grabs his pen and scribbles a quick note.

"Kenta!" He calls the chuunin assistant in to his office.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama?" The boy says as he enters.

"See that this gets to Konoha as soon as possible." He passes the note over his desk, feeling a quick sense of relief that hopefully, his wife will be feeling happier soon.

"Yes, sir. Right away!" Kenta bows as he leaves the room to hurry to the aviary.

Gaara finds it a little easier to focus on his paperwork for the remainder of the afternoon; though he often distracts himself with thoughts of pink-hair and sweet lips.


	16. Visitors, Part One

TaDaa~~! Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews - I hope you all like the next few chapters! Btw, it's late and I'm tired so this is unedited, but will sort it tomorrow!

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Visitors, Part One**

"Kiba."

"Sakura!"

"Akamaru is in my pond." She points at the hound, who is muddying up the usually still waters and barking at unsuspecting frogs.

"Ah, sorry!" Kiba gives a sheepish grin and goes to struggle with his dog, it takes a moment to pull the seemingly ever-growing beast from the water. Akamaru shakes himself off, upset at the loss of relief from the sun, and wanders off to take a nap under the shade of some nearby trees.

Kiba moves to catch up with Sakura; who has gone off towards the greenhouse, holding a basket full of trimmings on her hip. He follows her inside, as she begins to hang the herbs to dry.

"How come you're back here so soon?" She asks him.

"Oh? Gaara didn't tell you?"

She furrows her brows, continuing to clip the mint leaves on to some string. "Tell me what?"

"Oh..." Kiba is unsure of what to say; maybe his husband is right, and their relationship really is just... well, nothing at all really.

She turns to him, raising an eyebrow. "Kiba?"

"Ah- well. Gaara sent some kind of note to Kakashi. Then his wife gave us all a massive lecture about how we don't visit here enough and that none of us have any real excuse note to come, so..." He trails off, moving forward to fight with the mint leaves.

"Oh." She states, "I don't expect you to come here." A frown finds its way on to her face, and she appears lost in thought for a second.

Kiba feels at a loss for what to do, with no idea on how to cheer up his sister-in-law. "Nah, it's true. We don't come enough. Hana needs to get to know her aunt and uncle, anyways!" He grins, hoping this would lighten the sudden weight of tension.

"Right." Sakura says, moving on to press basil leaves in between the pages of a heavy book. "So where is she?"

"Um... Kankarou took her to see Gaara."

"Yes. That would make sense." They are both silent for a few minutes, as Sakura continues to work on doing God-knows-what to her basket full of herbs. Kiba tries to think of something to say or do-

"-Ah!" He remembers suddenly. "Naruto' coming here straight from his mission in Ame!" He pleads with himself that this news will make her at least smile.

"That's nice." He hardly even hears to words come out of her mouth as she flutters around the greenhouse, obviously lost in her own thoughts. "Look, Kiba. I'm really busy-"

"-yeah. Don't worry, I can see that." He raises a hand to begin to wave goodbye. "Sorry for distracting you. I'll catch you later then?"

"Yeah..." She replies, she knows that she has buried herself in far to much work to socialise.

Kiba beckons for Akamaru to follow him as he leaves the garden, feeling well and truly defeated. He's almost overwhelmed with guilt and decides he's needs to find his husband. Maybe they should have never moved to Konoha?


	17. Visitors, Part Two

To be honest, I don't even know where going with this. Just wanted to write Gaara with a baby.

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Visitors, Part Two**

Garra is working furiously at his desk when his brother appears at the door. He is holding his niece, Hana, on his hip. At nearly eight months old, she has learned that she quite likes the sound of her own voice and has taken to incoherently babbling every second she is awake.

She spots her uncle, and pauses for a moment, a smile spreading on her face. She leans forward in her Dada's arms, making grabby-hands at her uncle.

Kankarou sighs, readjusting his grip on her. "Ah... Hana, be careful." He fidgets with her as he walks to Gaara's desk. "Well, guess she's missed you." He gives his daughter to his brother; and Hana seems content now, making soft noises in her uncle's lap.

It is Gaara's turn to sigh as he fails in his attempts to pry his fingers away from the teething infant. He supposes that he has missed her, she kinda... cute, after all. He can't believe how much she's grown, considering it's only been a month since he saw her last.

He looks up to see his brother putting his feet up and leaning back. He looks absolutely exhausted. "How was your journey?" He asks, uncomfortably shifting in his seat; he was never any good at making small talk.

"As good as any three-day trek with a baby." Kankarou smiles at his brother. "So, how is Sakura?"

Though Gaara had asked him to visit, he had been dreading any questions about his wife. "She seems unhappy, lately."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she only has Matsuri for company, I suppose."

Kankarou furrows his brows in confusion, taking a pen from Hana's grasp. She is now making her best effort to climb across the cluttered desk. "And you?"

"Me?"

"Well, you are her husband?"

"Ah-" It's a murder trying to get things off of Gaara, he's naturally reserved. "-I don't think she likes spending time with me."

"Really?" Kankarou probes. "Temari seems under the impression that you were getting along?"

Gaara uses Hana as a distraction for a moment; pulling her off his desk and holding her with her head on his shoulder. She spots the pots full of plants, and tries to wiggle to get to the vibrant flowers. He figures that Sakura must have been exchanging letters with his sister, and finds himself curious as to what they have said.

He shrugs and pulls his chair closer to his desk; much to the disappointment of Hana, who was about to destroy an unsuspecting hibiscus.

"Gaara, did something... happen?" Kankarou raises his eyebrows at how quickly his brother turns his chair away from him. Was he... blushing?"

"No. It's just not fair on her. With everyone back in Konoha, I mean." Gaara plucks a pansy from one of the pots at holds it in front of Hana, who immediately tries to put it in her mouth.

He is still struggling with the infant when his brother abruptly stands up. "Well, I need to see where Kiba has gotten to. You're okay with her, right?"

Before Gaara can reply, his brother is waving goodbye and leaving his office. He sighs for what feels like the one-hundredth time today, and continues to grapple with Hana over the flower.


	18. Hana

Gotta love how I posted this completely unedited the first time round...

Anyway! I'm sorry for being away so long! Life happened, it was crap, seems to have stopped happening so much now!

Hope ya'all don't hate me too much for not posting in forever! Here's a little filler between the _Visitors_ arc :)

 _Enjoy~!_

* * *

 **Hana**

At nearly eight-months old, Baby Hana was surrounded with enough love to know what it looked like. She knew that Dada and Papa loved each other, and that they loved her. She know that her Aunty Temari loved the man that took naps with her. And that her Uncle Naruto loved the pretty lady with long hair.

What she didn't know was that her Uncle Gaara loved the lady with pink hair. That was until she came in to her Uncle's office, smacked him on the head and shouted at him for letting her eat the pretty things growing in pots. Even if they did taste funny!

 _Flowers_. Matatabi reminded her. _Those are called flowers. From what I gather, you aren't meant to eat them._

Her Uncle Gaara passed her to the pink haired lady; who told her that she was Auntie Sakura. She doesn't let her eat her hair though, even though it looks so pretty!

 _You're not meant to eat hair either, little one._

Hana quickly decides that she likes her Auntie Sakura; her hand glow pretty colours that make her feel fuzzy and warm! She sings her nice songs and rocks her sleep. As she drifts off, The last thing Hana sees is Auntie Sakura using her pretty colours on Uncle Gaara's head, she must feel bad for hitting him!

 _Human love is an odd thing._ The tailed-beast decided, then contented herself to following her host in to a dreamless slumber.


	19. Visitors, Part Three

Guys, I'm so sorry. Weeks of nothing then I pile this load of angsty crap on you. #sorrynotsorry

 _Enjoy~!_

* * *

 **Visitors, Part Three**

Naruto is standing in the doorway of her clinic, arms folded and an uncharacteristic frown pressed on the features of his face. She's doing her best to ignore his overwhelming presence, as she busies herself filing away patient files. She is beginning to wonder which one of them will crack first when-

"Sakura."

She pauses for a moment; leaning over the filing cabinet, taking in the low tone in his voice. She is about to get a lecture, she can tell. It's almost enough to make her smile; those are rare from him. She usually only gets them from Sasuke.

"Naruto." She responds, dead-panned and cold, she returns to her end-of-week paperwork. He sighs deeply, moving from the doorway and dumping himself on the sofa across from the front desk. She raises an eyebrow, wondering if he's already lost his will to fight with her. It seems as though he has; he's sat forward, with one hand running through his hair and the other rubbing his forehead. The motion is so unlike him that she is unsure of what to do.

"Naruto." She repeats his name, softer and warmer this time. She goes to say something before-

"-No! Don't do this again, Sakura!" He's out of his chair now, hands in the air and the expression on his face is... pissed.

This gets her out of her own chair- "Do _what_ , Naruto?"

"Lie to me! I'm _so_ sick of it! Sasuke's sick of it - Hell, you should hear what Ino feels about it!"

"Lie to you?!" Her voice is raised now, reaching to match his. "What on _Earth_ are you talking about?"

"Oh come _on_ , Sakura. I'm not a little kid anymore, you think I can't see that you're so-" He bites his lip, as if he's suddenly lost his words.

"So _what_?" She pushes him for the rest of his answer.

"So _unhappy_ , Sakura. You talk about nothing but _bullshit_ in your letters. You talk about work and Suna and whatever else but never about you! Never anything about your life here, never about Gaara-"

"-what would I have to say about him?!"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Sakura!" He falls back on the sofa, leans back and puts his hands over his face. "Look, you upped and left-"

" _I'm sorry?_ " _S_ he hisses. " _I_ _upped and left?_ " She is all out screaming at him now, more furious than she has found herself in years.

"Well... yeah!" Naruto, on the other hand, had began to lose his own fury. "Sasuke and I were gone and by the time we came back, you were gone. Permanently!"

Sakura is still raging. "Exactly! _You_ left _me_! You _both_ left me... again!" She slams her fists on the desk. "I couldn't believe it! Yet again, you both left me behind to go off and do whatever the _fuck_ you wanted!"

"Sak-"

"No! Do not interrupt me! You have both gotten to see the world! You've gotten to _experience_ things and _do_ things that I -especially now- will never get to do! And I let you! Not once. Not twice. But. Three. Times. You _abandoned_ me!"

"But-"

"Stop it! It's not fair! I stayed home and picked up your pieces. I became our generation's _greatest_ medic. I _redefined_ Konoha's political system. And for _what_? To be shipped off to a foreign country to spend the rest of my life being _miserable_." She pauses, leaning over the desk to catch her breath.

 _I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry_. She repeats the mantra in her head.

It fails. And she properly cries for the first time since before the war. " _You left me_." Her voice is barely above a whisper.

"I'm sor-"

She stops him again. "Don't apologise."

"Why?" His voice is shaking and Naruto is crying too now. "You're right. We left you."

"And I let you!" She chokes on her own tears. " _I let you_. Every time. Even when I should have stopped you." She sits back down, and continues to cry.

Naruto finds himself lost for words for one of the few times in his life. They both sit there in silence for half an evening. Night has long since fallen before one of them speaks again.

"Naruto." Sakura manages to croak out. "Marry her."

"What?"

"Ino. Go home. Back to Konoha, tell her how much you love her. Then marry her."


End file.
